Terminal connecter



May 26, 1925. I 1,539,290

H. w. BATCHELLER TERMINAL CONNECTER Filed OCT'. 18. 1923 Patented May 26, 1925.'

UNITED STATESk PATENT OFFICE.

HUGH W. BATCHELLER, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO' WINOOSIII ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANYl INC., OF BURLINGTON, VERMONT, A COR- PORATION OF VERMONT.

TERMINAL CONNECTER.

Application led October 1,8, 1923. Serial N.f669,228.

To all lwhom t muy concern.'

Be itvknown that I, I-IUGH W. BATCHELLER, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at WVOrceSter, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Terminal Connectersfof which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to terminal connecters such as those employed in electric lighting circuits in automobiles, a connecter to which theinvention relates including an insulating body, adapted to be inserted in a socket to close an electric circuit, and a fixed conductor engaged with the body and having an exposed contact end or tace, means being provided for connecting the opposite end of the said fixed conductor with a flexible elongated conductor. y

The invention has for its object to provide an improved construction, permitting the secure coupling together of the two conductors by the insertion of the fixed conductor in the body.

The invention is embodied in the improvei ments hereinafter described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,-

'Figure 1 is a side view of one form of connecter embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view, showing the fixed conductor and the head which supports the same. r

Figure 4 is an end view, showing the plug and the fixed conductor.

Figure 5 is an enlarged section on line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is an end View, showing a double connecter embodying the invention.

Figure 7 is a side View of the head and the fixed terminal, showing a modified construction of the latter.

Figures 8, 9 and 10 are views similar to Figures 1, 2 and 3, respectively, showing a different embodiment of the invention.

Figures 11 and 12 are sectional views, showing other embodiments of the invention.

Figure 13 is a sectional view, showing another embodiment.

In the drawings, 12 represents an insulating body of hard rubber or like material, preferably cylindrical, and provided with a longitudinal bore 13. One end of the body shown.

constitutes a stop face surrounding an end ot the'bore. Associated with the body is a fixed conductor, ot which several forms are Said conductor has a contact portion, designated by 15, in Figures l, 2, 4e, 7 and 11, by 21 in Figures 8 and 9, by 15 in Figure 12, and by 212l in Figure 13. Said conductor also has a shoulder adapted to bear on said stop face. As shown .by Figures 1, 2, 3, 7, 9, .1() and 11, said shoulder is provided by a head 14 of insulating material, preferably vulcanized fiber, formed to cover the stop i'ace end of' the .body 12, and close the bore 13. The fixed conductor extends through, and is firmly secured to the head 14, and is movable therewith as a unit, as indicated by Figures 3 and 10. Finally the fixed conductor has an anchoring portion, spaced 'from the contact portion, and formed to engage the bent end 18 of an elongated flexible conductor. The fixed conductor and the bent end 18 engaged therewith, as indicated by Figures 3 and 10, are insertible in the bore 13, to an extent determined by the said stop iace and shoulder. The diameter of the bore is such that the bent end 18 is confined by the bore in the form of a hook, interengaged with the anchoring portion of the fixed conductor, as best shown -by Figure 1.

In the embodiments shown by Figures 1, 2, 3, 5, 11, and 12, the fixed conductor includes a shank 1G, integralwith the contact portion, forced through the head 14, and

formed to bear on one side of the bore, and a reversely extending arm 17, connectedwith the shank, and formed to bear on the opposite side of the bore, as shown by Figure 2. Said shank and arms form anchoring jaws, adapted to be confined by the bore in gripping engagement with the hooked portion 18. The arm 17 is preferably integral with the shank and connected therewith by a neck 19, the arm normally springing out from the shank, as indicated by Figure 3, sothat when the conductor is inserted in theibore, the jaw portions of. the shank and arm are closed upon the flexible conductolu If desired, the arm may be made as a separate part and pivoted at 2O to the shank, as shown by Figure 7.

IVhen the head and the conductor fixed thereto are removed from the body 12, as indicated by Figure 3, the bent portion 18 of the ficxible conductor is inserted between ffl metal casing 25, surrounding the bo embodiments constitutes a the shank and the arm. The head and conductor are then applied to the body, and the shank and arm are caused by the bore to grip the flexible conductor.

When the invention is embodied as shown by Figures 8, 9, and 10, a bifurcated conductor, composed of a Contact or neck portion 21 and arms 22 extending side by side, is fixed to the head 14 by forcing the arms through the head, the arms .being spaced apart in the bore.A The-arms are normally inclined outward from each other, as shown by 'Figure 10.' In one edge of one of the arms is formed a notch 23, and in the oppor site edge of the other arm is formed asimilar notch 23a.

When the head and the bifurcated conductor are separated from the body, the inner end of the .elongated flexible conductor 18 is passed in a sinuous course through the notch 23, ob-liquely across the space be` tween the arms and through the notch 23a as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 10. Said end is hooked and is inserted with the' arms 22 in the bore 13, so that it is confined between the arms and the bore wall, as indicated by Figures 2 and 3, and is so firmly engaged With the arms -that it cannot be pulled outward in the direction of the arrow (Figure 2), when the head comes to a bearing on the body.

The head 14 may be secured to the body by any suitable means and preferabl by a the head and provided with an annular flange 26, seated on a shoulder on the head. One end portion of the casing is externally threaded, and with it is engaged an internally threaded sleeve 27, having an annular flange 28, seated on`one end of the body 12.

The igures of the drawing, ure 6, show a single connecter having but one fixed conductor. The inventin may be embodied in a double connecterhavingtwo fixed conductors as indicated by Figure 6.

The head 14 may be separably conned against one end of the body 12 Without the employment of special orradditional means for thispurpose, as in-the embodiment of the invention shown by Figure 11, which shows the head continedagainst the body by' the frictional engagement of the arms 16v and 17 of the fixed or gripping conductor with the opposite sides of the bore, and by the pull exerted on the gripping conductor by the flexible conductor 18. i

The head 14 in each of the above described shoulder cooperating with a stop face, formed by one end of the body 12, limiting the entrance of the fixedv conductor into thebore 13. I may omit the head 14 and utilize as an equiva lent shoulder the margin of the contact portion as shown by Figure 12, which shows a contact portion 15n of'greater diameter than y and.

excepting Fig.

the bore, and adapted to bear directly the stop face formed by one end of the ody 12. In this instance the contact portion is confined against the body by the frictional engagement of the arms 1.6 and 17 with the opposite sides of the bore, and by the pull exerted by the flexible conductor.

The connecterl is provided with the usual oppositely projecting studs 30, forming members of a bayonet-joint coupling and adapted to engage the usual angular slots in a socket not shown. The studs may bc carried by the casing 25,as shown by Figure 1, or by the body 12, as shown by Figures 11 an 12. A

Figure 13 shows a fixed conductor, composed of a contact portion 21a and notched arms 22, the conductor being formed as shown by Figures 8, 9 and 10, with the eX- ception that the contact portion 21a is of greater diameter than the bore 13, so that its margin constitutes a shoulder bearing on the stop face formed byone end of the body 12.

1n each of the described embodiments of the invention, the fixed conductor is provided with a contact portion and with an anchoring portion formed to enter the bore 13 and cooperate with the bore in maintaining a bent portion 18 of a flexible conductor in the form of a hook Vwithin the bore, the diameter of the bore being such that the bent portion is confined by the bore in the form of a hook, `interengaged with the anchoring portion, and held against accidental separation therefrom.

I claim:

1. A terminal connecter comprising an insulating body having a bore, and a stop face at one end of the bore; and a xed conductor having a contact to bear on said stop face, and an anchoring portion spaced from the contact portion and formed to engao'e'the bent end of a flexible conductor, the xed conductor and the bent portion, a shoulder adapted end of a lexible conductor engaged there- 11 Withbeing insertible in the bore to an extent determined b f the said stop face and shoulder, and the iameter of the bore being such that the said bent end is confined bythe bore in the form of a hook interengaged with the said anchoring portion.

2. A terminal connecter comprising an insulating body having a bore, and a stop face at one end of the bore; and a fixed conductor having a contact portion, a shoulder adapted to bear on said stop face, and flexible anchoring arms projecting side by side from the contact portion, and formed to engage the bent end of a flexible conductor, the said arms and the ble conductor engaged therewith being insertible in the bore to an extent determined by said stop face and shoulder, and the diameter of the bore being such that said bent end of a exi- I bent end is confined by the bore in the form of a hook interengaged with the said anchoring arms.

3. A terminal connecter comprising an insulating body having` abore, and a stop face at one end of the bore; and a fixed conduc-` tor having a Contact portion, a shoulder adapted to bear on said stop face, and iexible anchoring arms projecting side by side from the Contact portion and provided With notches adapted to engage the bent end of a fiexib-le conductor, the said arms and the bent end of a exible conductor engaged therewith being insertible in the bore to an ex, tent determined by said stop face and shoulder, and the diameter of the bore being such that said bent end is confined by the bor*J v in the form of `a hook, portions of which are held in said notches by the bore.

In testimony whereof I have aiixed my signature.

HUGH W. BATCHELLER. 

